The high Turkish union representing native chambers of commerce, business and commodity exchanges hosted on Monday within the western province of Izmir a serious assembly and discussion board in cooperation with the Union of Arab Chambers, at which it evaluated the financial cooperation and commerce with Arab international locations, and likewise the reconstruction of Syria.
The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) is getting ready a delegation to go to Damascus within the upcoming days to discover methods to contribute to Syria’s reconstruction and revive its personal sector and entrepreneurship, TOBB President Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu mentioned.
Speaking on the Turkish-Arab Chamber of Commerce Board Meeting and Business Forum, Hisarcıklıoğlu mentioned that he was happy to welcome businesspeople and ambassadors from 15 Arab international locations in Izmir, including that the town is without doubt one of the oldest commerce facilities of the Mediterranean.
He additionally famous how the world goes by way of a tough interval and that Israel’s aggressive insurance policies in Gaza and the area instantly threaten peace and stability.
“We are pleased to follow the normalization process in Syria,” Hisarcıklıoğlu mentioned.
“As TOBB, we will hopefully go to Damascus in three days. We will work on how we can support Syria’s reconstruction and how we can revive the private sector and entrepreneurship,” he added.
He identified that the choice by the European Union and the U.S. to raise financial sanctions on Syria will add momentum to the financial growth of the nation.
Türkiye, alongside some Gulf states, is predicted to tackle a serious position within the reconstruction of the nation after years of civil warfare, which left its infrastructure destroyed and thousands and thousands of individuals displaced.
Some 6 million folks fled Syria in the course of the battle, and the United Nations estimates that 90% of those that stayed lived in poverty and relied on humanitarian assist to outlive. Half 1,000,000 folks have been killed within the battle.
Damascus now anticipates investments and business tasks with Qatar, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and others, as they reestablish flight paths and maintain high-level political and financial conferences.
New Syrian authorities, earlier in May, signed a memorandum of understanding with a consortium of Qatari, Turkish and U.S. corporations to develop main energy technology tasks with a international funding valued at about $7 billion.
Turkish carriers, together with Turkish Airlines (THY) and its subsidiary AJet, have additionally launched flights to Syria.
Trade relations with Arab states
“We are also pleased with the development of our trade relations with Arab countries in recent years,” Hisarcıklıoğlu additional mentioned.
Türkiye’s exports to Arab international locations have been solely $5 billion 20 years in the past, which accounted for 10% of Türkiye’s exports. In 2024, this determine exceeded $50 billion and reached 20%, he burdened.
“In the last 20 years, Türkiye has received more than $50 billion in foreign direct investment from Arab countries. An average of 10 million Arab tourists travel to Türkiye every year. All these are positive developments, but we have the potential to do much better,” he famous.
“Our relations are becoming even more important in the face of the difficulties experienced due to our geopolitical position. Our trade potential is very high and this forum creates an opportunity to establish new business partnerships. Good relations can be established between countries through their investments,” mentioned Union of Arab Chambers President Samir Majoul.
The assembly, held on the Izmir Chamber of Commerce, along with Hisarcıklıoğlu and Majoul, was additionally attended by Union of Arab Chambers Secretary-General Khaled Hanafy, ambassadors and greater than 100 businesspeople from 15 Arab international locations.
Source: www.dailysabah.com